S11 ATR Nov 2015 - Power Report 02_Layout 1 27/10/2015 08:07 Page 48
POWER
UPS
Ready to replace your UPS? The key factors that must be considered when operating a standby power unit for an extended period
T
here can be no doubt that an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) unit is essential for the majority of businesses, especially given today’s power problems. However, many businesses have already invested in UPS solutions for a number of years. These units typically have a lifespan of between five and 10 years, depending on a number of different influences, and have to be replaced at some point. However, the question of when to replace an older UPS with a new one is not always straightforward. A UPS, like any other electronic equipment, does not have an unlimited lifespan and organisations need to make a decision as to what to do when reaching its ‘life expectancy’. Organisations can simply replace the old UPS with a new one, they can upgrade it to extend life and performance for a
few more years, or they can run it until it fails completely, doing nothing other than basic maintenance. Each of these scenarios has its own pros and cons and would be applicable to a certain set of circumstances. When it comes to this decision, there are many factors to consider, with the primary ones being the present UPS conditions and capabilities, as well as future requirements and constraints. Evaluating the current situation and determining future needs is essential. Firstly, it is important to establish whether or not the legacy UPS is or will soon be unable to meet its performance requirements and if it can be upgraded. If the unit has been discontinued, spare parts are unavailable, excess maintenance is required, or the UPS cannot meet critical performance requirements, this then indicates that a UPS is at or near the end of its usable life and should be replaced. However, if the UPS is meeting the load and runtime requirements, an organisation could choose to leave it in service and run it to failure in an attempt to gain maximum return from existing investment. This may be a risky path, as there is no way to determine exactly when a UPS will fail, and so careful planning is necessary to minimise the impact of the UPS’s imminent and inevitable failure. If the UPS is not at the end of its service life for the intended application, the next step is to evaluate the UPS according to a number of factors, including energy efficiency and future load requirements. The efficiency of the UPS system determines the operating cost to a large extent. It is therefore important to understand how efficiently the UPS operates today and how it can be improved through upgrades, changed load requirements, or by replacing with new units. These energy savings should be accounted for in the decision process, and the current efficiency compared to the efficiency of the new UPS being considered to determine potential savings and improvements. Think about the future Future load requirements are based on how the IT load is expected to change over time. This should also be a significant influencing factor in the decision of whether to keep, upgrade, or buy new UPSs. If the existing UPS system is at or near full load and future load growth is anticipated, options to add capacity must be explored, such as adding more power modules, if the until allows, or replacing with another UPS unit. Obviously, if the existing UPS capacity cannot be changed to meet the future requirements, then buying a new UPS is an option. The new UPS could also be used in conjunction with the old UPS in order to share the load. On the other hand, if the existing units are lightly loaded, then buying new or performing upgrades may not be necessary. If the load growth is minimal, it may be possible to replace with smaller units. Downsizing the UPS would improve efficiency and likely lower service costs. ■ Elrica Quick, APC Product Specialist, Drive Control Corporation
48
African Review of Business and Technology - November 2015
www.africanreview.com